’Tis the Season...

As I understand it, we are well into 'The Season' - that period of early summer when prestigious social events are held and which some people feel honour bound to be seen at.

You know the events I mean: Royal Ascot, Wimbledon, The Henley Regatta and so on. These are the events at which copious amounts of champagne, smoked salmon and strawberries are consumed and which require the women to wear a new outfit every day and require the men to wear morning suits and top hats or some other equally impractical gear despite the heat or, more likely, the rain!

I know that it's The Season, not because I have had invitations to any of these events, but because the owner of the fruit stall in St Albans Market Place has been reminding passers-by that today is the day for buying 'Royal Ascot Strawberries', or 'Wimbledon Strawberries'. We may not have the posh frocks or the champagne but we can enjoy the strawberries!

'To see and be seen', is the reason why most people participate in these prestigious events. To be noticed is all part of the fun of 'The Season'. Not to be recognised, or not to recognise others at these events is a form of failure!

All of which seems to be in stark contrast to how we conduct our lives as Christians. We seem to live our lives deliberately so that we are not seen and not noticed! We seem to prefer to keep a low profile, not doing things that might draw too much attention to ourselves.

This is strange thing for us to do - we, who experience God's love and grace day by day; we, who have received the good news of the Gospel!  

Isn't this something that we would want others to see and know about? Wouldn't we want others to recognise that God is working in our lives so that they, too, might be encouraged to seek this great gift of God's love and forgiveness for themselves?       

Jesus said: “No one lights a lamp and hides it in a jar or puts it under a bed. Instead, they put it on a stand so that those who come in can see the light.” (Luke 8 :16 )

Jesus is calling us to see and be seen. He is calling us to make every day a 'Season’ day as we are noticed by those around us for the way in which we radiate the love of God. And this can, and should, happen even when strawberries are out of season!

by Graham Clarke.